Dutch Wildlife Health Centre (DWHC)

Welcome to the Dutch Wildlife Health Centre

The purpose of the Dutch Wildlife Health Centre is to enhance knowledge and expertise in wildlife health in the Netherlands. This will serve to provide scientifically based information for political and practical decisions concerning public health, wild and domestic animal health, and nature conservation issues.

On our website you can find information about the sorts of disease found in wildlife in the Netherlands and abroad by searching in the disease or species pages.

You can report finding wildlife cadavers via the submission form on our website. For microscopic examination of these animals it is essential that the cadavers are in a fresh state i.e. not dead for more than one day; cadavers should not be frozen. It is therefore preferable to report your findings as soon as possible and to keep the cadaver in a cool (not frozen) place until it can be collected. After submitting your form you will be contacted by the DWHC who will advise you on how to package the cadaver and arrange collection of the package from your home or place of work.

More information about submitting a cadaver is available in the frequently asked questions.

Eurasian beaver DWHC ‘focus species’ 2023

Bever zittend op een tak in het water — *Foto: Maaike Plomp*

News

kokmeeuwen, eerstejaars op voorgrond en adult op achtergrond

Update on mortality in black-headed gulls

23 March 2023

By now it is clear that there is an increased mortality in wild birds due to high-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), mainly within populations of black-headed gulls. Halfway through February the DWHC and partner organizations published an article about the signs of this trend ( Read more

Keep a look-out for Avian Influenza in black-headed gulls

20 February 2023

At this moment – February 2023 – there are signals of high-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) causing death in black-headed gulls in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. We want to call on everyone to keep a look-out and to report findings of sick or dead black-headed gulls. Roosts and breeding colonies,

Mortality in pigeons due to Canker

24 January 2023

This winter, the DWHC has received more reports on dead pigeons. These reports came from different parts of the country. Most reports concern wood pigeons, but collared doves and stock pigeons were also reported.

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